Then: A 1914 architectural drawing of the Congressional Club, located on the northeast corner of New Hampshire Avenue and U Street, NW.
Now: Founded in 1908, the original purpose of The Congressional Club was to provide a non-partisan setting for friendships among the spouses of members of the House and Senate in Washington, D.C. Although the scope of the Club and the breadth of its activities have increased over the years, its purpose remains the same.
I haven’t reviewed a property in a while, mostly because there isn’t much that excites me these days, I haven’t been to an open house in a while, and there is nothing really on the market in my neighborhood that hasn’t been there for several months.
That said, I think this new listing is worth a look. Personally, I think the listing price of $1,199,000 is a good value. I’m basing that on similar properties in Columbia Heights that have sold for $999,000 in the last six months that are not as clean or fixed up as this one is. Its ready to go. It has four three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a nice deck, back yard, two off street parking spaces, and is just a half block north of U on 15th street.
When you consider that it is move in ready and has a legally rentable basement, it becomes a better value.
Look at the listing here (MLS DC7105692) which includes a virtual tour. Whether you agree with me or not, I’ll be shocked if this is on the market for long.
Here’s a nice shot from the Smithsonian Institution. It shows the interior of the Industiral Bank at 11th and U Streets ca. 1934. I’ve never been in the bank, but I really love their sign out front with the clock at the bottom. Now, if only they would turn the neon on for me.
Then: The Dunbar Hotel, pictured here ca. 1950, was originally completed in 1902 as the Portner Flats. The Portner family sold the apartment building in 1945, and it reopened as the Dunbar Hotel — Washington’s leading elite black hotel. The Dunbar declined after the City’s other hotels integrated, and the building was razed in 1974. (Image courtesy Smithsonian Institution)
Now: The Campbell Heights apartment complex for senior citizens was built on the site in 1978. The complex is comprised of a seven-story high-rise and low-rise garden apartments.
Not much needing to be said here. I saw this in an alley off U Street, and it just spoke to me.
According to the Cinema Treasures site, the Republic Theatre opened on 30th May 1921. It was located a block west of the Lincoln Theatre, between 13th and 14th Streets, NW. It was located in the heart of the U Street African-American shopping district and was listed in the Film Daily Yearbooks as a “Negro” theatre.
The theatre was designed by architect Phillip M. Julien and was a single screen venue. The exterior was given a slightly Spanish look with a Spanish tile roof topping the facade. Inside the auditorium, which originally seated 1,304, the seating was arranged in a stadium plan with no overhanging balcony, but there was a loge level half-way back. A Moller two Manual organ was installed in 1924.
The Republic was closed in 1976 and was later demolished to make way for the new Metro system.
If you walk by the site there is still a trace of the original building for the keen observer. An alley now cuts through the western most portion of the site, and the left wall of the alley is part of the former structure. You can still see a sliver of the building along the sidewalk.
(Historic images courtesy Smithsonian Institution)
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